Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes November 2013

Members Bob Booher, Gail Littlefield, Wendy Harris, David Stopak, and Mimi Styles were present. The meeting began at 7:35 pm at the Town Council chambers.

Approval of Agenda and Adoption of Minutes.

The agenda was approved as modified. The October minutes were approved as modified.

Projects.

None.

PC meeting.

Bob reported on the PC meeting he attended.

The PC agreed to approve the WSSC permit applications re relining sewer pipes. The permit has not been issued yet, because at a walkabout of the work sites it was learned that the original work plan will have to be modified—more excavation will have to be done to remove some kinks in the pipes on Maple Ave. This came out when the contractor met with Charlie Challstrom and Steve Wirtz. New drawings were later received with more new detail. The PC’s permit will have conditions similar to the ones the HPC recommended.

Bob sent a report to the PC with the HPC comments (attached). In addition, Bob will add the HPC comments on the trees at the treeline.

Charlie Charlestom summarized the Roberts Oxygen situation. (report attached.) There does not seem to be anything the HPC could do about the proposed use of the ex-Asplundh site. Suggested avenues of Town action are landscaping at the edge of Railroad St., distance from Roberts truck parking to WG houses, excess light and noise. This issue should be on the agenda for the mutual meeting of the Town Council, PC, and HPC in January.

Charlie also summarized the proposed changes to the County zoning ordinance. (report attached). The PC draft a letter. ?? The HPC agreed that we need more information about Marc Elrich’s concerns with the proposed changes. Bob will contact Charlie and Joli to see if they could call him, or recommend someone who could.

Regarding “non-compliance” with Town zoning ordinances, the PC is considering a template for WG houses re non-compliance that would go into a catalogue to be provided to new purchasers of Town property.

Gaithersburg Area Sector Master Plan.

David will look at it and report back at our next meeting.

Bulletin.

Mimi will ask Pat to draft something.

Archives.

Pat Patula, Town Archivist, prepared a report to the HPC on the status of the Archives. (attached). Does the HPC have money to hire a consultant for this issue? Has Pat kept records of the temperature and humidity? Could Pat ask the State Library to recommend a consultant? Bob will call her.

The Archives may need a new computer with more memory.

Permissions are needed from the old oral histories to put them on the web site.
Pat recommends hiring a typist to transcribe the hand-written, carbon copy and other illegible minutes in the Archives. Do we have money? Gail will call Mary re budget.

The Archives and in particular sending some materials to the State Library should be addressed at the mutual meeting.

Wendy will resend the link to the State records policy for us to review.

Mutual Meeting.

The HPC needs to submit agenda items for the mutual meeting. E.g., Archives, Roberts Oxygen, permits, HPC review of Public Way permit applications,. Demolition by neglect, new homeowners.

Archeological Resources in the meadow.

Wendy distributed the Archeological Site Survey Basic Data Form, filed with the Maryland Historical Trust, for sites in the meadow (attached), referenced in the Parks and Planning maintenance plan for the meadow. Wendy will find out what if any protections are triggered by this survey.

Demolition by Neglect.

Gail will draft a definition and purpose statement for HPC consideration.